Winners and Losers

thirty two

"Tanner?"

"huh? oh, hey you're awake."

"What happened?"

"what do you mean? you fell asleep, stupid."

"I know that, I meant why do you look so angry? Did something happen when I was sleeping?"

"huh? nothing happened."

"Are you sure?"

"yeah, don't worry about it brooke."

"You called me Brooke."

"yeah, that's your name, isn't it?"

"Yeah. But usually you call me Brookie. Tanner, what's wrong?"

"it's nothing. don't worry about it."

"Tanner, I am going to worry about it."

"huh?"

"Because I care about you! You're the first person to ever stay with me, to ever listen and pay close attention to me! You're not like any of my past friendships. So, please, tell me what's wrong? I can help! Let me help!"

"but, if i tell you what's wrong, you'll become sad. i'm sick of seeing you sad over some low-life ass!"

"Is this about Carson?"

"yeah!"

"What did he do? Wait, why do you have my phone in your hand? Tanner?"

"i called him. i was trying to make him become your friend again. but, it didn't work because the damn jerk said such cruel things about you! he said horrible, nasty, things about you!"

"What did he say?"

"he told me how your friendship with him made him sick and tired. basically, that he was tired of having to deal with you and hearing you quit on things. then, he had the decency to say how he hates you and how he's sick of you! that little fu-"

"Tanner, it's fine."

"what? how is that fine?"

"Tanner, listen to what I have to say, please."

"...."

"You can't force someone to be friends with someone that they don't like. I understand why he doesn't like me, I hurt his feelings and never truly treated him as a friend. I treated him poorly, and because of that I'm the one responsible for our failed friendship. If I hadn't been so selfish and actually listened to him, we would have still been friends. But, I have to learn to be able to deal with that by myself without your help. I have to learn to be able to accept that, and in the end fix some of my personality in order to make sure this never happens again."

"........"

"Thank you, Tanner, though. If you hadn't called him, I wouldn't have figured out what I need to fix about myself. I'm really happy that your friends with me."

"so, you're fine with how your friendship ended?"

"Mhm. I'm fine with it because I have you now! I don't need anybody else as long as I have you."

"you should sometimes think about what you're saying, before you actually say it."

"How come?"

"it sounds like you're about to confess your everlasting love for me."

"Well what's so wrong with that?"

"wait what?"

"What if I was about to confess my love to you? How would you react to it?"

"uhhhhhhhhhh.."

"It's okay, Tanny. I've already given up on love, since a long time ago."

"oh. cool."

"But you know,"

"yeah?"

"If I did have to choose someone to fall in love with, I would gladly choose you Tanny."